Spark plugs that have electrodes that are provided with tips or pads formed of a noble metal such as platinum are well known to those skilled in the art, one example being the spark plug disclosed in the Kondo U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,600. In that patent, disks of platinum are resistance welded to the spark plug electrodes. Another method for forming pads of platinum material on a spark plug electrode is to utilize a so-called contact welding method. In that method, a platinum wire is engaged with a surface of a spark plug electrode. A welding current is passed through the platinum wire to cause the portion of the wire that engages the electrode to be welded to the electrode. The wire is then cut-off so that a pad or tip of material remains that is welded to the electrode.